DOTr to spend P17B for MRT upgrade

The government has budgeted nearly P17 billion for the rehabilitation and expansion of the overused Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3.

Based on the discussions between the Department of Transportation and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the upgrade and maintenance of MRT3 will take 43 months: 31 months for the simultaneous rehabilitation and maintenance works to restore MRT-3 to its original design condition and capacity, and 12 months for the defect liability period.

After completing the appraisal, DOTr and Japan will move on to signing of the loan agreement and the mobilization of the new maintenance and rehabilitation provider for MRT-3, targeted next month.which is targeted this June 2018.

MRT 3, which runs along Edsa from North Avenue in Quezon City to Taft Avenue in Pasay City, serves over 500,000 passengers a day, way beyond its capacity of 350,000.